Toyota Uganda has delivered part of the 282 brand new double cabin pick-ups that were bought using UGX23.9bn, a part of the UGX29bn that Ugandans donated to help boost the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Ministry of Health spokesperson Emmanuel Ainebyoona revealed through his Twitter account, adding that the balance of the UGX29bn public donation- UGX5.7bn has been used to build a blood bank at Soroti referral hospital and Port Health facilities at Kyanika on Uganda’s border with Rwanda and Vura in West Nile.
The delivery of pick-ups, amidst outcries for oxygen and vaccine shortages, experienced during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, has
has not gone down well with many Ugandans.
Many think it was the wrong decision taken by President Yoweri Museveni, who directed that the money be spent on pick-ups ahead of perhaps more relevant priorities such as installing Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds.
President Museveni said that each of Uganda’s districts would receive an ambulance from the 282 grand procurement.
All is not lost perhaps, as Ainebyoona revealed the delivery of more relevant essential items such an refrigerated trucks for vaccine transportation, and boat ambulences all supported by the donors.
Ainebyoona posted: “With funding from @gavi, the @MinofHealthUG has procured five (5) refrigerated trucks to enable transportation of vaccines by @nmsuganda. Two have so far arrived. The others are still in transit. These will ensure the cold chain requirements of vaccines.”
Also, the delivery of some of the 11 boat ambulances, that were procured by UNICEF Uganda, meant to ease delivery of vaccination and other health services for island populations, has been accomplished.
